


Let Me Love You

by ZaynieLovesNialler



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: LET ME LOVE YOU, Love Triangles, M/M, ziall
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-31
Updated: 2013-01-31
Packaged: 2017-11-27 16:57:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/664317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaynieLovesNialler/pseuds/ZaynieLovesNialler
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall is in love with Zayn who’s in love with Liam who’s in love with Danielle. (end game Ziall)<br/>Niall was so conflicted about helping Zayn with his Liam problems. On one hand he wanted to help Zayn woo Liam because he knew that would make Zayn happy. But in reality Niall knew that he wanted to be the one to make Zayn happy. Niall wanted Zayn to be helplessly in love with him the same way he was helplessly in love with Liam and how Niall was helplessly in love with Zayn.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Me Love You

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on my tumblr: zayn-fucked-niall-and-then.tumblr.com

“It’s useless,” Zayn groaned as he flopped down on his couch.

“Oh come on. It’s not useless, Zayn,” Harry said reassuringly.

“But it is. He’s never going to feel the same way about me. I should just give up.”

Niall wanted to agree. Wanted to talk Zayn out of his helpless crush. Wanted to tell him to move on and find someone else. But he couldn’t. He could never.

Instead he found himself telling Zayn, “Don’t give up now. Liam loves you. Someday he’ll realize that it’s the same way that you love him.”

Niall was so conflicted about helping Zayn with his Liam problems. On one hand he wanted to help Zayn woo Liam because he knew that would make Zayn happy. But in reality Niall knew that he wanted to be the one to make Zayn happy. Niall wanted Zayn to be helplessly in love with him the same way he was helplessly in love with Liam and how Niall was helplessly in love with Zayn.

Niall hated how he had somehow found himself in the middle of a love triangle with two of his best friends. He also hated that he couldn’t confide his crush in anyone. Zayn openly discussed his crush with Niall, Harry, and Louis. Niall felt that he couldn’t tell Harry and Louis how he felt about Zayn without interfering with the way they helped Zayn. Harry and Louis really rooted for Zayn and Niall didn’t want this to change just because he maybe sort of kind of was totally in love with Zayn.

His only other option for a confidant was Liam but Niall worried that if he told Liam he might eventually let it slip to Harry or Louis. He trusted Liam he really did but there is only so much that can be kept secret in a band as close as theirs.

Niall found himself constantly swallowing his own feelings to help his friend. Today the four of them were hanging out in Zayn’s flat. They were discussing Liam since he had just left to see Danielle.

  
“Honestly Zayn I say you walk right up to Liam and snog his face off that will give him the right idea,” Louis stated oh so eloquently. Zayn groaned and buried his head in Niall’s shoulder.

  
“That’s ridiculous,” Harry said, “Just tell him how you feel. Save the snogging for later.”

  
“You don’t get it,” Zayn complained his voice muffled by Niall’s shoulder. Niall wrapped an arm around him with the pretense of comforting him. “I can’t just tell him. At this point it’s not just whether or not he’ll like me. I’m not even sure if he’s gay. That’s the main reason why he’ll probably turn me down!”

  
Niall completely agreed with his logic. It seemed unreasonable to think that Liam was anything but straight when he had been dating the same girl for two years. It also didn’t seem reasonable that Liam would even be interested in anyone else for the same reason.

  
However, Niall couldn’t bring himself to crush Zayn’s dreams so he found himself saying, “Cheer up mate. There’s still a possibility. Don’t give up all hope.”

  
“Thanks Niall. You’re the best.” It was true really. Niall constantly put Zayn’s feelings ahead of his own. He couldn’t get much better than that.

  
—-  
The night quickly deteriorated into Louis and Harry spewing imaginative scenarios involving Zayn and Liam.

  
“What if you tell him you love him and he actually cries!” Harry said with a sigh.

  
Louis’s ideas of course were a little more… colorful, “What if when you tell him he finally can release all of that pent up sexual frustration so he fucks you right up against the nearest wall!”

  
“But what if you told him in the rain!”

  
“Yeah his body would be all wet and his shirt would be sticking to his muscles,” Louis added with a quirk of his eyebrow.

  
“Maybe his foot would even pop as you kissed him in the rain!” Harry continued.

  
“Foot pop? No he’d more likely to be popping a boner not his foot.”

  
They were all laughing and for the first time Niall had a hard time laughing along. Harry and Louis were painting the picture so precisely that Niall couldn’t help himself from seeing it unfold in his mind’s eye. Niall kept repeating the mantra “ _it would make Zayn happy, it would make Zayn happy_ ,” but as Zayn collapsed into a fit of laughter with his head resting in Niall’s lap he subconsciously started saying, “ _I could make Zayn happy, I could make Zayn happy_.”

  
Niall didn’t even realize he was staring at Zayn until he finally heard Harry saying, “Don’t you think Niall?”

  
“Sorry what?” Niall mentally face palmed. He had been so distracted by Zayn’s beauty that he hadn’t even realized Harry had asked him anything.

  
“Don’t you think Zayn and Liam would make beautiful babies?” Niall’s heart sank. No, Zayn would make beautiful babies with me, Niall thought.

  
“Yeah of course. They would be gorgeous. Look Zayn I’m going to go lay down in your room. I’m a little tired.”

  
Niall stood up quickly and was half way to the room before he heard Zayn say, “Yeah, no problem, mate.” Niall couldn’t listen any longer to Zayn go on and on about how much he loves Liam while Harry and Louis gush about how perfect they would be together.

  
The second he made it into Zayn’s room Niall collapsed onto his bed. He shut his eyes and tried to ignore the fact that Zayn’s sheets smelled just like him.

  
—-  
He woke up the next morning still in Zayn’s bed. He rolled over and found himself face to face with an angel. Zayn’s eyes fluttered open sleepily.

  
“Morning,” he said gruffly. Niall had to hold back the urge to kiss his perfect sleepy face. He wished he could wake up next to this all the time.

  
“Hey sorry for stealing your bed.”

  
“S’alright. I was going to offer you the couch but I figured you would just leave and I didn’t want you to think I was kicking you out. Plus you looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake you. So I figured we could just share.” Niall smiled and couldn’t help thinking about how sweet Zayn was.

  
“Yeah that’s fine. Thanks for letting me sleep. I’ll make you some breakfast to say thanks. Go back to sleep I’ll let you know when it’s done.”

  
“No, Niall, it’s fine you don’t have to do that.” Zayn said in a flat, completely unconvincing tone.

  
Niall laughed, “Oh shut up I’m doing this.”

  
“Well if you insist,” Zayn mumbled before promptly falling back asleep. Niall crawled carefully out of bed and made his way to Zayn’s kitchen.

  
—-  
Niall went to work cooking what he considered to be a normal breakfast (but a normal person would probably call it a feast). When he was finished cooking everything he called Zayn into the kitchen.

  
Zayn traipsed in shirtless and wearing his sweatpants very low on his hips. Niall’s eyes roamed hungrily over Zayn’s exposed skin. He had to consciously keep telling himself to stop staring at Zayn’s heart tattoo. Niall couldn’t stop thinking about how much he wanted to suck on that very tattoo as he slowly slid Zayn’s pants down.

  
“How much did you cook Niall? This could feed a small army!” Zayn’s surprised voice snapped Niall out of his inappropriate day dream.

  
“Wha-? Oh yeah the food! I don’t know what you mean I could eat this all myself.”

  
Zayn chuckled, “I don’t doubt that.”

  
They ate breakfast together and chatted animatedly. Niall couldn’t stop thinking about how nice the whole morning was and how he wished that this could be his routine, that he could wake up next to Zayn every morning. Eventually, Niall had to part ways with Zayn and return to his own flat. The complete feeling of desolation Niall felt as he left Zayn was just another reason that he knew he was totally in love with the Bradford boy.

  
—-  
They spent the next week in constant interviews and photo shoots like always. Niall would curl up beside Zayn whenever he could and the older boy would happily offer Niall an arm to cuddle into, as long as he wasn’t already cuddling with Liam. Which happened way too much for Niall’s liking and not often enough for Zayn.

  
Zayn seemed to spend the majority of the week vying for Liam’s attention and affection. Niall was so relieved that he didn’t have to try nearly as hard as Zayn. He didn’t exactly have the boy’s affection but it was easy enough to gain his attention whenever Liam wasn’t directly in Zayn’s sights.

  
When Friday night finally rolled around Niall was planning on asking Zayn to join him at the pub. Hoping a few pints would loosen them both up enough to maybe take the first step. Niall was crushed when Liam beat him to the punch. He asked Zayn to hang out before Niall could. He invited all of the boys but they all politely declined in order to give Zayn some alone time with Liam.

  
Niall was moping around his flat alone thinking of how Zayn was probably confessing his love while Liam admitted he felt the same way and they would live happily ever after. Niall was angry because that was supposed to be his love story but he knew for a fact that the man he loved loved someone else. As he wallowed in self pity he heard a knock on his door. When he answered it he found a distraught Zayn on the verge of tears.

  
“Liam canceled and made plans with Danielle instead when he found out no one else could come. He hates me! He actually hates me!” Niall’s heart both soared and broke. He was happy in a completely selfish way because it was evident that Liam didn’t feel the same way about Zayn and also he was flattered that Zayn came to him instead of Harry or Louis. He was however saddened by how crushed Zayn looked. Niall pulled him into a hug and Zayn started to cry as soon as he was safely inside of the younger boy’s embrace.

Niall closed the door behind him and said, “Liam doesn’t hate you. He could never hate you.” Niall rubbed one hand soothingly over Zayn’s back and held the other one firmly on the nape of his neck.

  
“Yes he does!”

  
“No he just loves Danielle and wants to spend as much time as he can with her. It’s nothing against you he was just planning on hanging with all of us and when we all fell through it probably seemed silly to hang out just the two of you.”

  
“But… why can’t he… love me… like he… loves her.”Zayn said through broken sobs.

  
“I don’t know. I really don’t know.” And it was true because Niall couldn’t see how anyone didn’t love Zayn. He was perfect. He was gorgeous, talented, funny, and sensitive, too. Niall wanted to tell Zayn all of this but he knew that this wasn’t the best time to hit on him. Niall settled for leading Zayn into the living room and listening as Zayn went on and on about Liam. Zayn was sitting with his back against the arm rest of the couch and his legs draped across Niall’s lap.

  
“It’s just hard, you know? Loving someone and knowing they don’t love you back.”

  
“Yeah, I know what you mean.”

  
Zayn sniggered bitterly, “No you don’t. None of you really know. I’m dying of a broken heart and none of you really get it.”

  
Niall sighed focusing on Zayn’s legs in his lap to avoid looking him in the eyes, “But I do get it,” Niall said earnestly, “I’m in the same boat that you are.”

  
“Really? Who’s the lucky lady?”

  
Niall’s throat went dry. He found it difficult to say, “It’s a boy actually.” He was running his hand absentmindedly along Zayn’s leg, trying to do anything to slow his pounding heart and ragged breathing.

  
“What? You’re gay too? I had no idea!” Niall nodded his head, the knot in his stomach making him feel like he was going to throw up. “So who’s the lucky boy then?”

  
It was now or never. He had to finally get it off his chest, “It’s um, you actually.” Niall snapped his eyes shut and wished that he hadn’t said anything. A silence fell between them. Niall felt Zayn slide his legs off of his lap and sit up next to him. Niall put his head in his hands and refused to look at Zayn.

  
“Shit, Niall. I had no idea.” Zayn tentatively put his arm around Niall, “Why didn’t you ever… I don’t know say something?”

  
“The same reason you still haven’t told Liam.”

  
“How did you ever listen to me drone on about him when you…? I’m so fucking sorry man I can’t believe I did that to you!”

  
“Yeah well you didn’t know and it’s not your fault that I fell for you so don’t worry about it.”

  
Zayn squeezed Niall’s shoulder and pulled him in a little closer, “I feel like such an ass.”

  
“Look I don’t want you to think you owe me anything now and I don’t want you to feel sorry for me so just forget about it, yeah?”

  
“But Niall I really am so sorry.”

  
“I said drop it ok,” Niall stood up suddenly still refusing to look at Zayn, “Maybe you should just leave.”

  
Zayn stayed still for a few seconds unaware of what to say. Finally he said meekly, “Yeah alright.”

  
Zayn let himself out and Niall collapsed on the couch. He didn’t move off of the couch until the next morning.

  
—-  
When he checked his phone he saw a bunch of texts from Zayn that said not much more than, “I’m sorry.” He also got one from Harry that just read, “Want to talk about it?”

  
Great, Niall thought, he told him. He quickly texted back “No.” And then discarded his phone on the table not wanting to deal with it today. He ended up taking a shower and then spending the whole day watching tv in just his boxers.

  
At 8 o’clock that night there was a banging on his door. He got up, checked the peep hole, saw that it was Zayn, and went back to the couch without saying anything. Zayn eventually gave up and left.

  
—-  
By the time Monday morning rolled around Niall still hadn’t talked to any of the boys. He was dreading being picked up that morning because he knew that Zayn would be picked up first and he would be next. When the car got there Zayn was sitting in the back seat. Normally, Niall would crawl in next to him and they would probably both fall back asleep leaning against each other. Today however Niall decided to sit in the first row of seats on the opposite side of the car from Zayn.

  
“Come on, Niall. Don’t be mad at me! I didn’t even know but I’m so _so_ sorry.”

  
Niall took out his iPod and began listening to it to tune Zayn out. That worked for a while until they hit a red light and Zayn crawled over the seat so he was sitting next to him.

  
“I’m sorry, Nialler. You’re my best mate I can’t stand you being mad at me.” Niall felt bad because he wasn’t exactly mad. The whole situation was just awkward. He just couldn’t stand to be around Zayn because he was so embarrassed and even though he wished he wasn’t, he was still crushing hard on him. To show Zayn that he wasn’t mad Niall leaned his head on the older boy’s shoulder but still refused to talk to him. Zayn smiled to himself and wrapped an arm around Niall.

  
—-  
Throughout the long day of interviews and promos Niall avoided Zayn the best he could. He didn’t sit next to him once which eliminated any cuddling or whispering. Between interviews Niall talked to anyone else about anything to avoid having to talk to Zayn. Eventually Zayn got the message that Niall didn’t want anything to do with him so he stopped trying to talk to him. Niall kept up his avoidance all week. When he got home he would cry because he missed Zayn so much but he couldn’t bring himself to have things go back to normal because everything was so awkward now. He felt weird around all of the boys, except Liam, Niall was pretty sure he was the only one who didn’t know.

  
Niall wished that he had never said anything. Life was so much easier when no one knew about his crush.

  
—-  
On Friday night Niall was once again moping alone in his flat when he heard a knock on the door. It was Zayn. Niall rested his head on the door. He couldn’t open it, he just couldn’t.

  
“Niall I know you’re in there. And I know you’re trying to avoid me. And you’re probably standing right on the other side of the door so please just let me in.” Zayn’s voice was pleading and Niall couldn’t bare to ignore him. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

  
“Hey,” he said meekly. Zayn looked relieved that Niall actually opened the door and that he was finally looking at him for the first time in a week.

  
“Hey. Can I come in?”

  
“Yeah, alright.” Niall stepped aside to let Zayn through the door. They both walked in to the living room. “Listen Zayn I don’t want you to think that you owe me anything just because I have feelings for you. You love Liam and I know that. I’ve accepted it a long time ago.”

  
There was a long pause and then Zayn said, “I know you’re not going to believe me but I think I like you too.”

  
“Stop being ridiculous. You just feel obligated to because of how I feel about you.”

  
“No it’s like… I never thought about you that way. But now that you’ve been brought to my attention I can’t stop thinking about how perfect you really are.”

  
“Zayn…”

  
“No hear me out first ok I’ve been making myself crazy thinking about this all week!” Zayn stood up suddenly and began pacing, “It’s just that… I was always so focused on Liam that I never paid anyone else much attention. I just was set in thinking that there was no one else but him but that’s not true. There’s you too and when I sat down and really thought about it you’re so much better for me than Liam.” Niall listened patiently to Zayn’s rant, still not really sure if he believed that Zayn was really over Liam.

  
“The first thing I thought about was that you’re definitely attractive. Like, I was always aware of that I just tried not to think about how I thought my band mate is really hot. But beyond that there is so much to you. You’re so funny, Niall. And you’re so chilled out and just constantly laughing. I think your laugh is adorable by the way. I’ve always thought that. And you’re just great to talk to and you’re always having a good time and we always have a good time together. And I just really love hanging out with you.”  
Niall laughed bitterly, “Sounds to me like you’ve just described a really great friend.”

  
“No you don’t get it! I love spending time with you so much that that’s all I want to do! I want to wake up next to you and have you make us breakfast. And you make way too much but somehow you eat it all anyway. I want to spend the day chilling with you. Watching tv and playing video games and laughing and having a good time and just feeling really comfortable. And if we end up snogging somewhere in the midst of all of that it would just make the day even better. Niall, you ignoring me all week made me miss you so much. We get on so well and I felt empty without the ease of always having you there. I love you, Niall. I really, truly do.” Niall was still skeptical but Zayn sounded so sincere it was hard not to believe him.

  
“I don’t know Zayn. How are you over Liam so quickly?”

  
“I think I’ve been over him for a while I just kind of kept at it because I didn’t want to give up on him because I thought he was the one for me. But he’s not, you are.”  
“Are you eventually going to give up on me too?” Niall asked weakly.

  
“No it’s different,” Zayn said exasperated, “I never had a chance with Liam but we actually have a chance to make this work and I will give everything to a relationship with you because I want to be with you and only you.”

  
Niall shook his head dejectedly, “I don’t understand how you’re so sure of this all of a sudden.” Zayn crossed the room to where Niall was sitting on the couch. He pulled him until he was standing, put his hands on his shoulders and looked straight into his eyes.

  
“I’ve had a lot of time to sit and think about this over the past week. It’s literally all I’ve thought about and the more I think about it the more sure I am that we would be perfect together.”

  
Niall’s eyes were stinging threatening to water as he stared back into Zayn’s golden eyes. He was relieved when Zayn pulled him into a hug so he didn’t have to worry about him catching a tear sliding from Niall’s eye.

  
“I’m sorry that it took me so long to notice it but now I’m absolutely positive that we belong together.”

  
Niall shut his eyes and let his tears finally fall as he hugged Zayn tightly back. Zayn pulled back slightly to look at Niall. He smiled softly and wiped the wetness off of Niall’s cheek. Zayn leaned in close to his face so his lips were mere centimeters from Niall’s. Niall’s breathing became shaky as he felt Zayn’s breath ghosting over his lips.

  
“What do you say?” Zayn whispered, “Will you let me love you?” He nudged his nose against Niall’s but still didn’t close the space between their lips. Niall finally made up his mind. He loved Zayn and although he had been distracted by Liam for so long there was no reason why Niall should turn down the man that he wanted to be with now that he finally wanted to be with him too. Niall tilted his head up to meet Zayn’s lips. They shared a soft kiss.

  
When their lips parted Niall said, “You’re an idiot, you know.”

  
Zayn chuckled, “Yeah, I know.”

  
“If you do anything to hurt me I’ll kill you. I can take you. You’re not that much of a bad boy.”

  
Zayn smiled, “Ok, Nialler. Whatever you say.”

  
Niall leaned in and kissed him again, this time harder. He was smiling into the kiss because he couldn’t believe that he was finally kissing Zayn. He was gripping him tightly, fearing that if he let go Zayn would slip through his fingers and it would all just be a dream.

  
—-  
Eventually they made their way to Niall’s bedroom. They laid on his bed making out lazily. They discarded their shirts at some point. Zayn reveled in the way his darker fingers looked gliding over Niall’s pasty skin. His skin flushed brilliantly pink everywhere that Zayn touched. Niall was infatuated with tracing all of Zayn’s tattoos. He had fantasized about touching them for so long and he seized the opportunity to finally do so. They spent the night like that; kissing, touching, giggling, and whispering about every little thing that they had always loved about each other.

  
Everything was so easy and perfect. Niall’s only regret was that he didn’t tell Zayn sooner.

  
They spent the whole weekend together never once leaving Niall’s flat. Their days consisted entirely of hanging out and making out. Zayn was right about how natural they were together. There was nothing awkward about the transition from friendship to a relationship.

  
—-  
When they finally got around to telling the other boys they were all overjoyed for them. It turns out Harry and Louis weren’t necessarily rooting for Zayn and Liam, they were simply rooting for Zayn to have a happily ever after. They were ecstatic that he finally found that with Niall.

  
The next time they hung out they didn’t discuss how great Zayn would be with Liam, they discussed how perfect Zayn currently was with Niall.  
—-


End file.
